Former World Champs flog current WSL pro'z with harsh criticism post-Sunset...

[casa_mugrienta]

Surfing world champions and legends slam modern pro's following “weak” performances at iconic Sunset Beach yesterday, “It blows my mind the way 90% of these guys are trying to surf Sunset. Taking off in the whitewater and not even trying to get out to the peak!”

"Some abominably bad board choices yesterday at Sunset. Even the hottest of the hot was taken out by riding a 6'2""

beachgrit.com

 

[bonzer5fin]

if the waves were bigger, yeah, that's a great point. last year they were taking off where the groms sit. this year, on the biggest day, i did see some waves that would have been snagged up top on a 7'2" that no one went up to get. it's like riding only greenmount at the superbank, or the cove at rincon. go ride the good stuff.

 

[NorthOC75]

Seemed a bit inconsistent to sit out the back waiting for a west peak.

 

[000]

they ripped very hard and it looked like the funest sunset ever

 

[GromsDad]

Any pro that surfed finals day.......that day on a big board to get the outside peak would have gotten smoked. The waves weren't there for that. There weren't enough bigger peak waves to make a big board strategy work. Also, the big board on the average waves they had during the heats wouldn't have broken the 5 point range.

 

[Duffy LaCoronilla]

 

[jkb]

Pros haven't surfed the outside peak in a contest for a long time because the outside peak doesn't offer the kind of performance that gets higher scores.

The reality is Sunset shouldn't be a venue on the tour. Sunset, Bells, and Margarets are all too similar from a viewership perspective.

And while I'm at it, Brazil, El Salvador, Supertubos, and the wave pool shouldn't be tour venues either.

 

[nimby]

won't work with the way scoring is these days..which is friggin abysmal.
Case in point, gal surfing against Caroline Marks was ripping turns off the bottom and top, big open face swoops with superb style, which Sunset is all about, and had the lead.
So fireplug Marks takes off on a small wave, does a few of her typical ho-hum turns, finishes the wave with a wimpy off the top in a shoulder high section, fist pumps, and gets the score. Wiith Strider of course yelling and claiming like she just 360'd Pipe.

 

[Northern_Shores]

Any pro that surfed finals day.......that day on a big board to get the outside peak would have gotten smoked. The waves weren't there for that. There weren't enough bigger peak waves to make a big board strategy work. Also, the big board on the average waves they had during the heats wouldn't have broken the 5 point range.

Being fully reasonable here on the surfer surfings forum, while being the Peter Navarro of New Jersey in the Politics section?

 

[GromsDad]

won't work with the way scoring is these days..which is friggin abysmal.
Case in point, gal surfing against Caroline Marks was ripping turns off the bottom and top, big open face swoops with superb style, which Sunset is all about, and had the lead.
So fireplug Marks takes off on a small wave, does a few of her typical ho-hum turns, finishes the wave with a wimpy off the top in a shoulder high section, fist pumps, and gets the score. Wiith Strider of course yelling and claiming like she just 360'd Pipe.

I actually turned that heat off because Marks was getting smoked. I was shocked when I tuned in later and she had advanced. God I hate her ugly over-coached mechanical looking surfing.

 

[mundus]

Pros haven't surfed the outside peak in a contest for a long time because the outside peak doesn't offer the kind of performance that gets higher scores.

The reality is Sunset shouldn't be a venue on the tour. Sunset, Bells, and Margarets are all too similar from a viewership perspective.

And while I'm at it, Brazil, El Salvador, Supertubos, and the wave pool shouldn't be tour venues either.

Disagree, real NW sunset is great viewing, big steep drop, having to negotiate the saddle into the. ferocious inside section. Last year they had the swell and were riding 6'2s on the last 3rd of the wave. Maybe this is the future and what kids want to see, but super lame IMHO.

 

[caelho]

God I hate her ugly over-coached mechanical looking surfing.

She's the female version of Wilco

 

[One-Off]

Looks like he made the same rant 5 years ago-

Mr Sunset: "Why the six-fucking-sixes?"

Yesterday morning, two-time Sunset winner Gary “Kong” Elkerton, unloaded on the equipment choice of competitors in this year’s event. “10 foot plus Sunset Beach and everyone is on 6,6s sitting on the inside while 10 foot bombs are going off out the back,” Kong posted on Facebook and to, mostly...

beachgrit.com

Here's Kong in '87-

IMHO you can't deny what they're doing now is more radical. Maybe the judging criteria. is not awarding the biggest wave and longest ride, but rather the most radical maneuver, hence sitting where that is most possible?

 

[nimby]

Disagree, real NW sunset is great viewing, big steep drop, having to negotiate the saddle into the. ferocious inside section. Last year they had the swell and were riding 6'2s on the last 3rd of the wave. Maybe this is the future and what kids want to see, but super lame IMHO.

love Sunset, my fave for decades. So much fun to take that drop, bang a big turn, and than just haul okole. .

 

[SurfMission]

Pros haven't surfed the outside peak in a contest for a long time because the outside peak doesn't offer the kind of performance that gets higher scores.

The reality is Sunset shouldn't be a venue on the tour. Sunset, Bells, and Margarets are all too similar from a viewership perspective.

And while I'm at it, Brazil, El Salvador, Supertubos, and the wave pool shouldn't be tour venues either.

You forgot deciding the whole thing at Lowers.

 

[jkb]

You forgot deciding the whole thing at Lowers.

I like lowers as a venue on tour.

Yes, deciding a world champion AT Lowers is the wrong move.

Dave Prodan claims the majority of the surfers on tour wanted it as the finals day venue because it was pretty neutral, provided rights and lefts, ect....... That could be a load of WSL hogwash though.

 

[silentbutdeadly]

lowers belongs on tour but no single even should decide the champion.

I thought sunset was awesome. they made the best of the conditions that were given to them

 

[Aruka]

lowers belongs on tour but no single even should decide the champion.

I thought sunset was awesome. they made the best of the conditions that were given to them

Agreed on both counts. I like watching Sunset. It's a tricky wave and I like watching the pros struggle a bit.

The fact that the world title is decided at Trestles and the fact that Lemoore is back on the tour tells me that the WSL doesn't actually understand what makes for entertaining surfing. In my opinion, at least until they develop a mechanical chopes replica, the ocean will always be the star of the show. It's all about the waves. Trestles is a fine wave but basically anyone can surf it. There is no fear involved. I don't want to see the best in the world toying with a mushburger, I want to see them pushing themselves to the absolute limit of what is possible in waves of consequence.

Think JJF at Margs, Owen at Cloudbreak, Kelly at Pipe, etc, etc. Those are the contests we remember.

Of course the waves don't always fire and the boys have to scrap it out but at least there is the chance.

Holding the final contest at Trestles is like having the best snowboarders in the world compete for the gold medal (or whatever) on a blue run. I mean, sure they would shred that blue run harder than your average ski bum but is that really what anyone wants to see?

And don't get me started on Lemoore. At least at Trestles or any other marginal wave in the world there is always a slight chance of something somewhat wild happening. At Lemoore there's not even the slimmest chance that someone will get knocked off their board by or shark or anything.

Lemoore is like if Major League Baseball tried to sell batting practice against pitching machines as an event.

 

[npsp]

If the WSL had a clue as to what we, the surfing public wanted, the world title would be decided by winning the old format of the Triple Crown. Have a contest at Haleiwa, Sunset and Pipeline. The guy or gal that has the most points at the end of that run is the champ.

 

[mundus]

If the WSL had a clue as to what we, the surfing public wanted, the world title would be decided by winning the old format of the Triple Crown. Have a contest at Haleiwa, Sunset and Pipeline. The guy or gal that has the most points at the end of that run is the champ.

I dont think"we" are the audience they are after any more.